China-Central Asia relations contribute to regional peace, stability: Xi

XI’AN, May 19 (Xinhua) — With concerted efforts, China-Central Asia relations will inject strong positive energy into regional peace and stability, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Friday when meeting the press following the successful conclusion of the China-Central Asia Summit.

Xi, together with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, jointly met the press.

The six countries jointly signed the Xi’an Declaration of the China-Central Asia Summit, adopted a list of summit outcomes, and charted a blueprint for the future development of China-Central Asia relations, Xi said.

He noted that the six countries are determined to work together to rise to challenges and foster a closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future.

China and the Central Asian countries will firmly support each other on issues concerning their respective core interests such as sovereignty, independence, security and territorial integrity, Xi said.

The Central Asian countries fully recognize the significance of the Chinese path to modernization for the world’s development and reiterate their firm commitment to the one-China principle, he added.

Xi pointed out that China and the Central Asian countries will take the 10th anniversary of Belt and Road cooperation as a new starting point and make efforts to build better synergy among development strategies to form a new cooperation paradigm featuring high-level complementarity and mutual benefit.

The six countries will deepen their people-to-people exchanges across the board by actively cooperating on sports, archaeology, tourism, medical and health care, and other areas, Xi noted.

He said all parties will resolutely combat all forms of terrorism, separatism and extremism, as well as drug trafficking and transnational organized crimes, joining hands to build a Central Asia that features non-conflict and enduring peace.

All sides have expressed support for and readiness to implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, Xi added.

Xi and leaders of the five Central Asian countries announced a decision to officially inaugurate the China-Central Asia Summit Mechanism.

The two sides — China and Central Asian countries — will take turns to host the biennial summit.

The next summit will be held in Kazakhstan in 2025. ■

Chinese President Xi Jinping, together with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, signs the Xi’an Declaration of the China-Central Asia Summit in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, May 19, 2023. Xi and leaders of five Central Asian countries met the press on Friday following the successful conclusion of the China-Central Asia Summit. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)

Chinese President Xi Jinping, together with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, walks to meet the press following the successful conclusion of the China-Central Asia Summit in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, May 19, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

Chinese President Xi Jinping, together with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, meets the press following the successful conclusion of the China-Central Asia Summit in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, May 19, 2023. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)